Giannis, Calathes and Sloukas to lead Greek charge in China
In September, Greek fans will be pinning their hopes on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nick Calathes and Kostas Sloukas, as the trio aim to make the difference at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.
Earlier this year, Greece were drawn into Group F of the 2019 FIBA World Cup with Montenegro, Brazil and New Zealand, as the country aims to post a title challenge with a strong squad full of potential. Antetokounmpo, Calathes and Sloukas - three of the country’s most talented players - carry a big weight on their shoulders as their experience and class is expected to make the difference for the Greeks at the crucial time.
Antetokounmpo is in the form of his life. In the NBA, the 24-year-old enjoyed a superb campaign with the Milwaukee Bucks, helping the club reach the Eastern Conference Final with brilliant, productive performances throughout the entire season. Earlier this year, Antetokounmpo reportedly agreed to participate at the World Cup, and he can single handedly beat opponents when playing at his best. Just his presence on the court alone automatically increases Greece’s chances of winning dramatically.
Both Calathes (Panathinaikos) and Sloukas (Fenerbahce) were named to the All-EuroLeague Team of the Year this season. In Athens, 30-year-old guard Calathes was once again inspirational for Panathinaikos, tallying an historic triple-double in the regular season before averaging 11.7 points, three rebounds and six assists in the ultimately unsuccessful quarter-final series against Real Madrid. Calathes is the engine of this Greek side, and as many players have previously said, the team simply wouldn’t be anywhere near as dangerous without him.
Over in Turkey, fellow guard Sloukas took a leading role for Fenerbahce, with the capital club reaching the Final Four where they lost to Anadolu Efes and Real Madrid. In the two games in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the 29-year-old averaged 12.5 points, two rebounds and four assists and he will have to be at his best in China to give the team a maximum amount of firepower. Incidentally, this was the fifth time in history when two Greeks had been included in the All-EuroLeague Team of the Year, with the pair following in the footsteps of Dimitris Diamantidis and Vassilis Spanoulis.
On September 1, the Episimi Agapimeni will begin their World Cup qualifying campaign against Montenegro, ahead of games with Brazil (September 3) and New Zealand (September 5).
